1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to a system, or apparatus, and a method of simulating lamp performance with different phosphor blends and different lamp parameters. The system is used to quickly design new fluorescent lamps with new phosphor blend coatings. One can input desired lamp characteristics and the system automatically optimizes by varying selected parameters, such as amounts of different phosphors, coating weights, lamp current, lamp length, etc., to achieve the desired performances.
2. Discussion of the Art
Use of phosphors in lamps is well known. For example, fluorescent lamps are well known in the art and advantageously employ phosphors to obtain a desired visible light output. Fluorescent lamps may be linear, compact, circular, U-shaped, etc., and are manufactured in a number of different shapes, sizes, color performance, and wattage ratings. Fluorescent lamps are desirable because of their efficient operation, costing significantly less over their lifetime than incandescent lamps and having an extended life rating on the order of 6,000 to 24,000 hours. As is well known in the art, an arc is formed between cathodes at ends of the fluorescent lamp and the arc ionizes a fill gas contained within the lamp. This radiant energy is converted by the phosphor coated on the lamp into visible light. Still other types of lamps employ phosphors such as electrodeless lamps, high pressure mercury lamps, and light emitting diode lamps (LEDs). Again, the phosphor converts the radiant energy into a desired color in the visible light spectrum.
A myriad of phosphors have been developed over the years. Each phosphor has its own unique signature or spectral distribution in association with a lamp. Thus, lamp manufacturers have developed a wealth of information relating to the spectral properties of individual phosphors. For example, a particular type of lamp having desired physical characteristics, i.e., length, diameter, fill gas, pressure, current, etc. will be coated with an individual phosphor, tested, and a spectral distribution (data) recorded. Phosphor powders do not interact as a result of lamp making, but their spectra are cumulative in nature. Hence, the spectrum of a lamp coated with a blend of phosphors will be a linear combination of the spectra of lamps coated with the individual phosphors.
Nevertheless, even with this collected knowledge and information, the design of lamps using different phosphors, or designing different types of lamps using phosphor blends, or designing a lamp to have desired operating characteristics, is a very tedious, expensive, and time consuming process. A need exists in the industry that will allow a lamp designer to simulate the spectra of various phosphor blends, design any phosphor blend, and to interrelate a phosphor blend with lamp operating characteristics and physical construction of the lamp.